Injection device



Jan. 3, E R. LAWSHE INJECTION DEVICE- Filed De c. 10. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. ERROL R. LA WSf/E M ATTORNEY;

Jan. 3, R L

INJECTION DEVICE Filed Dec. 10. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 35 36- 34 35 27 Q9 INVENTOR.

[AWOL R. LA W5H BY\ %2//@ W Cam/WC ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERROL R.- LAWSHE, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO BECTON, DICKINSON 6; (30., OF EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY INJECTION nnvrcn Application filed December 10, 1930. Serial No. 501,271.

The invention relates to injection devices and more particularly to devices in the nature of syringes designed for theinjection of fluids into the human system for medicinal and kindred purposes. In many instances it is desirable and ofttimes important to inject the fluid at a predetermined pressure or to know the pressure at which the fluid enters the system; in other cases failure of the fluid to pass into the system at a predetermined maximum pressure will indicate certain conditions to the physician. The object of the invention is to provide an injecting device of the indicated character which includes a simple and eiiicient pressure indicating means whereby the above mentioned results may be attained in a reliable and accurate manner. The invention contemplates further the production of a device of the type in question which is readily portable and accordingly is capable'of being folded, and dismantled in a simple manner to occupy a minimum of space and easily reassembled and set up wherever its use may be required. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the device as set up for use; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof showing the device in its operative condition, with certain parts omitted; Fig. 3 is a view showing the device in its folded and dismantled condition, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing a mounting which is included in the device.

As shown in the drawings, the injection device comprises a reservoir or container 5 cor: responding to the barrel of a syringe and adapted to contain a supply of the fluid to be injected, said reservoir preferably being made of transparent material and provided with a suitable scale 6 whereby the quantity of fluid contained therein is visibly indicated, so thatthe dose or amount of fluid to be injected may be accurately measured. At its lower end, the reservoir 5 is formed withan outlet nozzle 7 adapted to receive theone end of a flexible outlet tube 8, which at some convenient point is preferably provided with a control valve in the form of a stop cock 9 of suitable type, as shown in Fig. 1. The other end ofthe tube 8 is detachably connected with a conventional injecting instrument, such as, for instance, a cannula 10 of any customary form ortype. The upper end of the reservoir 5 is suitably secured in a cap 11 carrying a tube 12, which extends into and communicates with the interior of said reservoir 5 and terminates outwardly beyond said cap in a transverse tube 13, with the one end of which a flexible tube 14 is connected; the tube 14 leads to a means fordeveloping air pressure such as a conventional bulb 14 with which, in such case, the other end of said tube 14 is suitably connected. The other end of the branch tube 13 is adapted to receive one end of a flexible tube 15, whichat its other end communicates and is connected with a pressure indicating device of suitable construction for the purpose for which the device is designed. With this arrangement the tube 14, transverse tube 13 and branch tube 12 constitute a pressure transmitting connection extending between the pressure developing means, as exemplified by the bulb 14, and the inlet side of the reservoir 5, while the transverse tube 13 and flexible tube 15 comprise a continuing pressure transmitting connection communicating with said first named pressure transmitting connection at the inlet side of said reservoir 5. As a result of this construction pressure medium is conducted through the tubes 14, 13 and 12 to the reservoir 5 to develop injecting pressure on the fluid therein, and at the same time pressure medium is conducted through the tubes 13 and 15 to the pressure indicating device without bringing any part of the fluid in said reservoir 5 into contact with said indicating device. In the illustrated example, the pressure indicating device comprises a receptacle 16, provided interiorly with a tube 17 terminating at a distance from the bottom of the receptacle 16 in a restricted outlet 18 and communicating at its opposite end with an opening 19 with which the one end of the tube 15 is connected preferably so as to be readily detachable; for this purpose the tube 15 may be provided with a nozzle 20 adapted to frietionally or otherwise fit into the opening 19 as shown in Fig. 1. The pressure indicating device further comprises a transparent tube 21 of glass or other suitable material provided with a conventional pressure indicating scale 22 and mounted in a protecting carrier 23 in such a manner that its one end communicates with the interior of the receptacle 16. As the detail construction of the pressure indicating device forms no part of the invention and accordingly may be of any conventional arrangement, no attempt has been made to illustrate the same in the drawings. \Vith the pressure indicating device constructed as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a supply of mercury or other suitable indicating fluid is contained in the receptacle 16 and as the device is operated, is forced into the tube 21 in the form of an indicating column which in co-operation with the scale 22 visibly indicates the developed pressure.

In order to provide a convenient instrument capable of being readily transported from place to place and adapted to be folded and dismantled'so as to occupy a minimum of space, the container 5 is supported in clamps or equivalent means 24:, which constitute parts of or are carried by a supporting member 25. The latter is pivoted at 26 upon a lug 27 projecting upwardly from a base 28, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; the base 28,

, as shown, may be in the form of a flat metallie plate, and in such case is preferably provided upon its lower face with a cushion or pad 29 of felt or similar material to prevent injury to the surface upon which the instrument stands when in use. The base 28 further carries a lug 30 provided with a recess 31 adapted to receive a stud 32, which forms part of or projects from the mounting 33 on which the receptacle 17, tube 21 and support 23 are secured; as shown in Fig. 4:, the stud 32 snugly fits the recess 31 so that the receptacle 16 and indicating tube 21 are securely supported in the upright position shown in Figs. 1 and 2,'when the device is in use. In this condition, the supporting member 25 is pivotally adjusted to the upright position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and correspondingly supports the container 5 in such upright position, so that at this stage the instrument presents the appearance illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. For the purpose of maintaining the member 25 and the container 5, with its associated elements, in the operative adjustment, a suitable brace 34 may be included in the device. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the brace 3 1 is pivotally connected at 35 with a projection 36 fixed upon the base 28, and consists of two spaced resilient members, one of which terminates in a hook 37 adapted to co-operate with a projection 38 extending outwardly from the member 25.

WVith the arrangement described, the end 37 of the brace 3% will automatically snap into clamping engagement with the projection 38 when the member 25 reaches its upright position in which it will be propped by the action of the brace 34. .Vhen it is desired to fold the member 25 and container 5 with its associated elements to the folded position shown in Fig. 3, it is simply necessary to exert a pressure, for instance, upon the capped end of the container 5 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, sufiicient to overcome the resilient gripping engagement of the hook 37 with the stud 38 to permit the latter to enter the space between the two resilient members of the brace 34, whereupon pivotal movement of the member 25 and the parts carried thereby may be continued until the folded condition shown in Fig. 3 is reached.

In practice, the fluid to be injected is introduced into the reservoir 5 to the desired amount, as indicated on the scale 6, the stop cock 9 meanwhile remaining open until a few drops of said fluid escape from the free end of the cannula 10 or its equivalent to indicate that the latter and the tube 8 have been freed from contained air, after which the stop-cock 9 is closed. The cannula 10 or its equivalent is then introduced into the human system, in accordance with the technique of the particular medical or surgical operation being performed and the bulb 14K or its equivalent is actuated to develop a pressure upon the fluid in the reservoir 5 which, however, is not ejected from said reservoir 5 at this stage, because the stop-cock 9 is still closed. Consequently, air pressure will also be developed through the tube 15 upon the mercury or its equivalent in the receptacle 16 and will force said mercury or the like up into the tube 21 in the form of an indi eating column. This operation is continued until the predetermined pressure is indicated by the column on the scale 22, after which the stop-cock 9 is opened. As operation of the bulb 14 or its equivalent is now continued, the injection of the fluid into the human system will take place in a steady stream under the pressure indicated by the mercury or other fluid column on the scale 22. This pressure may be maintained by a proper manipulation of the bulb 14 or its equivalent and is coincidentally effective upon the fluid in the reservoir 5 and the mercury in the receptaele 16.

Assuming, for instance, that the instrument is being utilized for the determination of the patency or non-patency of the Fallopi an tubes. the container or reservoir 5 may be filled with. iodized oil to the predetermined point upon the scale 6. The nozzle of the cannula 10 is inserted into the uterus as far as the rubber tip 39, which is located upon the cannula at a predetermined point and preventsunintentional escape of the fluid,

' tubes.

will permit. The stop-cock 9 has previously remained open during the introduction of the fluid into the reservoir 5 as hereinbefore described to free the cannula 10 and tube 8 from contained air, and subsequently has been closed in the manner set forth above. When the nozzle of the cannula 10 is in place, the stop-cock 9 is opened and the oil from the reservoir 5 is injected slowly in a steady stream until the predetermined quantity has passed. The bulb 14 or its equivalent has in the meantime been manipulated until the mercury or other fluid column indicates the predetermined pressure on the scale 22 at which the oil should pass into the Fallopian If, after a few minutes the oil does not pass from the reservoir 5, the pressure is gradually increased and continued until a predetermined maximum pressure is indicated by the mercury or other column on the scale 22. If the oil does not pass at this maximum pressure, this indicates occlusion of both Fallopian tubes, and the physician or surgeon may be governed accordingly. It has, of course, not been attempted to set forth completely the full technique or all of the steps incidental to the aforesaid Fallopian tube operation; on the contrary, only so much of the operation has been described as is necessary to completely set forth the operation and functions of the novel injection device. The latter is obviously capable of being constructed in many different forms suitable to a large variety of medicinal and surgical purposes and essentially consists of a reservoir and pressure indicating device in combination with an air pressure developing means whereby the injection pressure may be created and accurately indicated and maintained.

When use of the device is no longer required, the combined receptacle 16 and injecting tube 21, with their associated elements, are disconnected by withdrawing the stud 22 from the recess 31, the nozzle 20 of the tube 15 having been previously, or being at this stage, disconnected from the opening 19, after which the supporting member 25, with the reservoir 5 and associated elements is pivotally adjusted to the folded position shown in Fig. 3. With the instrument in the disassembled and folded condition illustrated in Fig. 3, the parts occupy a minimum of space and may be readily placed in the physicians bag or in a suitable container designed to receive the same. In any case, the injection device is capable of being readily transported from place to place and is thus alwags available for use when required.

bviously, the device may be used in cooperation with instruments other than the cannula 10 illustrated in Fig. 1, the character of this instrument being dependent upon the type and nature of the injection for which the injection device is to be used.

It will furtherbe obvious that the fluid injected by the device will accord with the character of the injection, and that said fluid may either be liquid or gaseous as may be re quired.

It will be noted from the illustrated example of the device that, in any case, the pressure is exerted between the pressure indicating device and the oil or other contents of the reservoir 5 so that contamination of the pressure indicating device and the bulb or other pressure developing means is effectively pre vented.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim An injection device comprising a reservoir for the fluid to be injected, means for developing injecting pressure, a pressure indicating device, a pressure transmitting connection extending between said pressure developing means and said reservoir for conducting pressure medium thereto to develop inj ecting pressure on the fluid in said reservoir, a continuing pressure transmitting connection communicating with said pressure indicating device and connected with said first mentioned pressure transmitting connection at a point on the inlet side of said reservoir whereby pressure medium is conducted tosaid indicating device for indicating the inj ecting pressure developed on the fluid in said reservoir without bringing said fluid into contact with said indicating device, and an outlet for the injecting fluid connected with said reservoir.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ERROL R. LAWSHE. 

